Universities start using mobiles in classrooms!

University of Melbourne - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3734600/University-students-tracked-mobiles-lecturers-studying.html

Mobile Technology has continued to progress over the years in leaps and bounds. Usage of mobile applications has increased tremendously contributing to the growth in many sectors. This new wave of software tools allows organizations to streamline their processes and provide their employees with the ability to do their work faster and more efficiently. Medical, Aviation, Manufacturing, Oil and Gas and many more industries are now able to leverage the progression of mobile technology.

With all these industries catching up, the education sector is roaring with fire on how to leverage off new age tech and stay relevant to the student body. It is no surprise that numbers rose almost a fifth in the usage of smartphones among the 18-24 age demographic. Nearly 100% of the student population use their smart phone or mobile device to get access to the web. The is no doubt the trend of mobile devices are in an upward shift with information at your fingertips who would want to go back to the archaic days of library stalking?

How can Universities cash in on this trend? Here are some tips!

1) Put Down Your Phone!

So we have been to lectures or exam halls with big signs that say “Switch Off Your Phones”, “Put Your Phone On Silent”, “Be Considerate of Others and Switch Your Phone Off”! Whichever way you have come across the message, the blazing sign is pretty clear – universities are still living in the dark ages. Students today seem to be unable to last more than 2 minutes without checking their phones – a study showed that 88% of students text during class.

Instead of being the “Big Bad Wolf” why not use the platform that interests so many of us to the university’s benefit. Universities that start embracing mobile technology will eventually see a long-term investment which will put them ahead of the curve. A prime example is Studio Project at Purdue University. The newest projects with collaborative classrooms allows students to stay active and provide real-time feedback during classes. Engage your students with new methods of learning and use the tools available to you to create an active classroom.

2) Safety isn’t Expensive, It’s Priceless

The University of California put their best foot forward by removing more than 100 emergency landline phones from campus. Who knows how to use a landline anyway! They replaced the system with a mobile app. Other schools like Princeton University send their student body “SMS Alerts” to create awareness for emergency situations. Use mobile tech to empower students and communicate with them more effectively.

3) Student Community

When you’re a student, it’s like you belong to a VIP club – you get discounts, you stay up late and you party all night until exam period comes. We share a unique experience at University and we create a unique culture that everyone can relate to. So why not make it easier to connect, access and communicate with each other. Many universities now create social apps to promote events, jobs and social gatherings amongst students – this keeps everyone in the know-how and promotes a good brand reputation. Also as the boom of e-commerce takes place more people are using tech to make payments. Some early adopter institutions have partnered up with Google Pay and other providers to create reward systems and discounts. Using these systems will not only enhance information and efficiency throughout businesses but also assists in tracking and collating data for example analysing foot traffic or high periods of commercial activities. Other technology such as QR-codes or beams can add value to promotions and events.

We call out to all Universities to put their best foot forward and #BEATECHUNI

Give your students a better overall Uni experience. Mobile Devices are here to stay and it’s only a matter of time before higher education providers will have to make that change. Don’t view technology as an evil but rather a gateway to connect, engage and build knowledge with students.